SisterLove’s Dázon Dixon Diallo at CROI 2023 - HIV and Women

WatchExit Disclaimer and share HIV.gov’s final interview from the 2023 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) with Dr. Dázon Dixon Diallo, Founder and President of SisterLove, Inc.Exit Disclaimer, about the impact of the scientific information presented at the conference on the HIV service community. SisterLove, Inc. is the oldest women-centered HIV and sexual and reproductive justice advocacy organization in the southeastern United States.

In our conversation, Dr. Diallo discussed what she will share with SisterLove’s staff regarding the research findings at CROI that are relevant to the organization’s function. She emphasized that, based on what she heard at the conference, the organization’s community-driven work is on track. Additionally, Dr. Diallo shared that the conference underscored that there is still work to be done to ensure that we have the science and tools needed “for women to get to the end of the [HIV] epidemic at the same time as everybody else.”

We also spoke with Dr. Diallo about a CROI pre-conference event, the 13th International Workshop on HIV & Women – From Adolescence to Menopause and Beyond. The workshop provided the opportunity for healthcare providers, researchers, and representatives from government, industry, and domestic and global communities to discuss issues related to HIV and women of diverse backgrounds. Dr. Diallo shared that the workshop has evolved to be more inclusive of all femme-identifying people, and the field has advanced, particularly in the area of pregnancy and people who could be pregnant. She enthusiastically highlighted the workshop’s discussion about the recently released update to the HIV clinical guidelines for infant feeding. The update clarifies breastfeeding/chestfeeding guidance for people with HIV and supports shared decision-making between them and their healthcare providers.

Read about the updated guidelines and watch this video to learn more.

About this workshop, Dr. Diallo noted that “the equity issues came to the floor [regarding] how that plays out in different countries and different regions in the world.” She continued by noting the rarity of the workshop, in that it included women scientists, women with HIV, women advocates, and activists, and provided a forum for a conversation about science related specifically to people who identify as women. “That, to me, was golden!”

More about CROI

CROI provides a collaborative forum for clinical investigators and scientists to present, discuss, and offer critical feedback on their investigations regarding the epidemiology and biology of human retroviruses and related diseases. The conference facilitates the presentation of important scientific discoveries and, thus, accelerates progress in the field of HIV and AIDS research. Seattle served as the host city for the 30th annual gathering, which took place from February 19 to 22 and included more than 3,400 HIV and infectious disease researchers from 72 countries who participated virtually and in-person. Visit CROI’s website for additional informationExit Disclaimer, including abstracts, session webcasts, and e-posters, which are publicly available for 30 days after the conference’s conclusion. Read our other posts from CROI.